Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Nutrition Science

2023 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2023 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2023 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science / Bachelor of Nutrition Science
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2023. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2023. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Online	No
Duration	4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS course code	098564J Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Deakin course code	D333
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Combine a drive for exercise and sport with a passion for food and nutrition with Deakin’s Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Nutrition Science combined course. Offered by the #1 sport science school in the world, exercise and sport science at Deakin gives you a field-leading education in improving the performance, health and participation of individuals and teams. The nutrition science component gives you an understanding of the nature of food and the importance of nutrition for individual and population health.

Study two complementary fields and understand how athlete's bodies work, as well as the fuel required to unlock peak performance. You will have the opportunity to participate in 295 hours of invaluable practical experience across both study areas, and benefit from career mentoring; setting you apart from other graduates and opening the door to a wide range of career opportunities.

Want to graduate with the knowledge and skills to become an expert in elite athlete preparation?

Exercise and sport science at Deakin gives you the expertise to become a professional leader in the field. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the biology, technology, behaviour and best practices that underpin exercise and sport science.

You will have the opportunity to participate in two sport industry practical experiences during this course. In third year, students complete 80 hours of practical experience at a pre-approved host organisation through the Exercise Programming unit. The Exercise and Sports Science Practicum in your final year provides a minimum 140 hours of practical experience.

Additionally, you can choose to study the Food and Nutrition Practicum in your final year, giving you a further 75 hours of practical food or nutrition industry experience.

These work-integrated learning experiences allow you to undertake hands-on training in a variety of sporting, exercise or health environments, and set you apart from other graduates. The roles can involve coaching, sport science, exercise research and fitness. Many graduates have even been offered employment based on their excellent fieldwork performance.

You can find work experience with a variety of organisations such as:

AFL/VFL football clubs
Basketball Victoria
Cricket Victoria
Cycling Victoria
Football Federation Victoria
health and fitness providers
recreational gyms
rehabilitation clinics
state and national sporting organisations and clubs
state and national institutes of sport
Tennis Australia.

The complementary nutrition science component of this course gives you an in-depth understanding of the nature of food and the importance of nutrition for wellbeing. Become career-ready with a comprehensive knowledge of human nutrition, as well as the complexity of current issues relating to food and health including:

bone health
cardiovascular disease
children’s food habits
food policy, regulation and sustainability
nutrition and ageing
social and physiological aspects of food and nutrition.

With an increase in demand for qualified nutrition professionals, you will be in a strong position to pursue diverse career opportunities. Combining studies in exercise, sports and nutrition sciences means you will be ready to take your expertise into the field and find new and innovative ways to promote health across a broad range of organisations and communities.

*2021 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments

Indicative student workload

As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and on-line interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.

Professional recognition

Current students are eligible to apply for student membership with the Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA), and apply as an ‘ordinary member’ upon graduating.

Graduates are eligible to apply to become a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the:

Nutrition Society of Australia
Hong Kong Nutrition Association
UK Association for Nutrition.

Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA)

D333 Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science / Bachelor of Nutrition Science is currently NOT an accredited course with ESSA. This does not mean that ESSA accreditation is not available to you. What it means is that to apply to become an AES you will need to do so through the non-ESSA-Accredited Course application pathway. Please refer to ESSA webpage for more information.

ESSA has implemented a new English requirement for all individuals seeking initial accreditation or reinstating accreditation to show English language competence, please refer to this webpage for more information.

If you have any questions about this new requirement, please contact ESSA: 07 3171 3335 or email info@essa.org.au

Career opportunities

As well as typical roles in the sport, exercise, coaching and fitness industries, you may pursue employment in sports science, sports administration, facility management, community health and wellness, or rehabilitation.

Upon graduating, you may find employment opportunities in:

elite, professional sporting clubs
local and state government agencies
professional sporting bodies
local and community sporting clubs
hospital and rehabilitation clinics
fitness and aquatic centres
private health and recreation centres
large business organisations in corporate health.

You will also be well prepared for a nutrition-focused career and can work in areas in the nutrition and food industry such as:

food analysis
food policy and regulation
individual and population health
food sustainability
nutrition and disease prevention
assessing and evaluating food intake

More information on nutrition careers.

After successfully completing the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Nutrition Science, you may consider applying for further study to advance your career in the sport science and nutrition industry. We offer:

Participation requirements

The course contains compulsory practicum hours designed to meet the ESSA Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES) professional standards, which comprise a minimum of 80 hours of exercise prescription and 140 hours of work integrated learning in an area of exercise and sports science directly aligned to their chosen career path.

Upon achievement of the prerequisite requirements, placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks listed on the Important dates page.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability, and/or athletes registered with the Elite Athlete Friendly University program.

Mandatory student checks

Working with Children Check

Applicants will be required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) for the relevant state prior to undertaking placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement units.

Police record check

Applicants will be required to hold a valid National Police Record Check for placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement units.

Pathways

This course can be a pathway to:

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. Further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods is available on our Current students fees website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility and well-developed theoretical and technical knowledge within the broad disciplines of exercise and sport science and nutrition, food and health.
Communication	Demonstrate clear and accurate communication using a range of modes to select and deliver relevant information.
Digital literacy	Use a range of digital tools within both exercise and sport science and nutrition, food and health environments to accurately and efficiently locate, evaluate, and disseminate information, including the collection and analysis of data.
Critical thinking	Use information from multiple sources of evidence to inform decision making applied to both exercise and sport science, and nutrition, food and health.
Problem solving	Independently deconstruct a range of real world and complex problems within both exercise and sport science, and nutrition, food and health environments to formulate, execute and evaluate possible solutions.
Self-management	Demonstrate the capacity to learn and work independently, taking personal responsibility for actions and outcomes commensurate with priorities and timeframes established both personally and by others.
Teamwork	Consistently demonstrate professional behaviours while making effective contributions across a range of roles when undertaking collaborative work within intra- and inter-disciplinary teams.
Global citizenship	Practise ethical and professional behaviours with an awareness of, and sensitivity to, diverse global and local perspectives in both exercise and sport science, and nutrition, food and health.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Nutrition Science students must attain 32 credit points which includes 16 exercise core units and 16 nutrition units (15 core and 1 HSN coded elective unit).

Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point. In order to gain 32 credit points you will need to study 32 units (AKA 'subjects'). Most students choose to study 4 units per trimester and usually undertaken two trimesters each year.

All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity, HSE010 Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety, HSN010 Food and Nutrition Laboratory Safety and SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program must be completed prior to related co-requisite units (all 0 credit point compulsory units).

All Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus enrolled students are required to attend seminars and practical laboratory classes (if any) at the Melbourne Burwood Campus for the units marked (#) below.

Burwood students will need to enrol into the Burwood unit offerings.
Geelong students can choose one from the below two options:
A. Online unit offering: Attend two x 2 day intensive practical classes, one day for HSN104 The Science of Food and one day for HSN106 Food Fundamentals. These intensive practical sessions are typically conducted on a Saturday or Sunday at Burwood (Melbourne) Campus.
B. Burwood unit offering: attend four practical classes at Burwood. Geelong students who choose to enrol into Burwood offering can only do so if there is capacity and via manual enrolment.

Course structure

Core units

Course structure applies for students who commenced in 2022 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2022 should refer to previous online Handbooks or contact a Student Adviser at Student Central.

Please refer to the Course Map page for course map information.

Year 1 - Trimester 1

SLE010

Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0 credit points)

HAI010

Academic Integrity (0 credit points)

HBS109

Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology *

HSE113

Human Growth, Development and Ageing for Exercise Scientists

HSN101

Foundations of Food, Nutrition and Health *

SLE133

Chemistry in Our World **

Year 1 - Trimester 2

HSE010

Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety (0 credit points)

HSE102

Functional Human Anatomy *

HSE104

Research Methods and Data Analysis in Exercise and Sport

HSN107

Physiology of Human Growth and Development

SLE155

Chemistry for the Professional Sciences +

Year 2 - Trimester 1

HSE111

Physical Activity and Exercise for Health

HSE201

Exercise Physiology *

HSN104

The Science of Food (#)

SLE212

Biochemistry

Year 2 - Trimester 2

HSN010

Food and Nutrition Laboratory Safety (0 credit points)

HSE103

Essentials of Exercise Delivery

HSE204

Motor Learning and Development

HSN106

Food Fundamentals (#)

SLE222

Biochemical Metabolism

Year 3 - Trimester 1

HSE212

Physical Activity Promotion and Evaluation

HSE302

Exercise Programming ^

HSN105

Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems

HSN211

Nutritional Physiology *

Year 3 - Trimester 2

HSE202

Biomechanics

HSE208

Integrated Human Physiology *

HSN202

Lifespan Nutrition

HSN305

Assessing Food Intake and Activity

Year 4 - Trimester 1

HSE312

Exercise and Sports Science Practicum ^

HSE323

Clinical and Sport Biomechanics

HSN301

Diet and Disease

HSN309

Food Policy and Regulation (#)

Year 4 - Trimester 2

HSE309

Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects of Sport and Exercise

HSE330

Nutrition for Exercise Scientists

HSN302

Population Nutrition

plus one nutrition elective unit (must be HSN coded unit from level 3)

* Unit also available in Trimester 3
** Unit also available in Trimester 2
^ Indicates compulsory practicum core unit students need to complete in this course - refer course structure
+ Assumed knowledge: SLE133 Chemistry in our World or high achievement in VCE Chemistry 3 and 4 (or equivalent)

Elective units

Select one unit

Trimester 2

HSN308

Food, Nutrition and Society

HSN311

Food and Nutrition Practicum

Trimester 3

HSN360

International Perspectives in Food and Nutrition (offered in even number years, e.g. 2024, 2026, etc)

Work experience

The Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Nutrition Science features two compulsory practical experiences through work-based practicum. In third year, students will complete 80 hours of work integrated learning in exercise assessment, prescription and delivery in both third and final year. In their fourth year, students will also complete 140 hours of work integrated learning in an exercise and sport science setting directly related to their career path.

These work integrated learning experiences provide you with the opportunity to undertake hands-on experience in a variety of sporting, exercise or health environments. These may vary from local, state or national sporting organisations and professional sporting clubs; state and national institutes of sport; as well as health, and fitness providers. The roles can involve coaching, sport science, sports administration, sport management, exercise research and fitness, while many graduates have been offered subsequent employment based on their excellent practicum/fieldwork performance.

In addition to work integrated learning experiences in sporting, exercise or health environments, you may also choose to gain further practical experience through studying HSN311 Food and Nutrition Practicum as an elective in your final year. This allows you to build industry experience and connections while applying your skills alongside established nutritionists.

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Additionally, you can choose to study the Food and Nutrition Practicum in your final year, giving you a further 75 hours of practical food or nutrition industry experience.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central